American Watercolor Movement, who are playing at the Newark Arts and Music Festival.

Newark Arts and Music FestivalWhere: Halsey St. between Central Ave. and New St., NewarkWhen: 11 a.m.-2 a.m. SaturdayHow much: FreeWhat else: Until midnight, the Newark Light Rail runs between the Arts and Music Festival and the simultaneous Portuguese Festival in Newark's Ironbound district. Fare: $1.35. New Jersey transit officials will be on hand at both festivals with schedules and route information.

BY MOLLY ROSE KAUFMANSTAR-LEDGER STAFF

After five months of writing and recording in their studio in Clifton, the Jersey City-based band, American Watercolor Movement, is excited to get back on the stage - and it gets its first chance Saturday at the inaugural Newark Arts and Music Festival on Halsey Street.

As much an artist's collective as rock band, the group's seven members have also been working on a film and designing an art installation for the Aferra gallery in downtown Newark. Their show Saturday will include video projections and some of the group's new songs, which guitarist John Fesken described as "cinematic."

"Our new songs are stories," Fesken said.

Jason Cieradowski, the lead singer and lyricist, said they are excited to be a part of the celebration of Newark's exploding arts scene.

"I think they're doing things right and I'm proud to support them," Cieradowski said about the festival's organizers. "And we're psyche to play the same day as the Portuguese festival," a simultaneous celebration just across town.

The Halsey Street festival was planned over the past two months by neighborhood business owners and residents seeking to showcase local talent and a blossoming downtown neighborhood.

"We thought, 'Wouldn't it be fun to have a street festival?'" said Dave Amstatt, co-owner of restaurant 27 Mix, who's been involved with the project since its inception. "We want to get people more in tune with everything that is happening around here."

Performances will take place on two stages starting at 11 a.m. There will be activities up and down the street all day, including body-painting, puppet-making and a "musical petting zoo" - at which kids can play with musical instruments - sponsored by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra.

Joe Aratow, a real estate developer and one of the festival's organizers, said Halsey Street was the ideal location for this kind of event. "This is going to be a destination." Aratow said. "It's like Greenwich Village was 20 years ago, before there was a bank and a Starbucks on every corner."

Aratow believes the day could prove a turning point for the area. "The question is, 'Is it a safe place to take my family? Can I let my teenager go to a concert alone?' People will see there is nothing to be afraid of down here."

The festival strives to bring people and art into long-abandoned spaces. For example, Ade Tugbiyeli Sedita, co-owner of the year-old Newark Art Supply Store on Halsey Street, will lead festival-goers in the painting of a mural of the Newark skyline on the side of the empty Hahnes department store building.

"I think the festival is going to elevate the status of Newark as an arts destination," Sedita said, "because Newark has a history of being an arts destination.'

The Red Saw Gallery will erect a sculpture garden in the neighboring empty lot with work by 13 artists and live music by Dave Crowton, a guitarist. Lowell Craig, who put the show together, said that they were excited to be able to show art that was too big for the gallery and to work in space that provides such a special view of the block.

In addition to American Watercolor Movement, other performers scheduled to appear include Miss Nana, a 14-year-old rapper from Newark, surf rockers the Coffin Daggers from Jersey City, jazz saxophonist Bradford Hayes, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Greater Newark Youth Orchestra and New York indie rock band Kite Operations.

American Watercolor Movement goes performs at 9 p.m. The night will end with a deejayed party at Aljira Contemporary Art slated to rage until 2 a.m.